38 
Dr. Isidor Walz exhibited to the Lyceum a fungus which 
grows on the calcareous rocks of Florida. It is said to possess 
narcotic properties and is used by the natives to some extent 
as a substitute for tobacco. He next showed a specimen of 
metallic Manganese and of the slag, obtained by reducing the 
Oxide of Manganese with coal-in aSiemen’s furnace. The 
Manganese shown resembled white iron to a considerable ex- 
tent and contains a large quantity of carbon. Four and a half 
pounds of metallic regulus were obtained from ten pounds of 
ore. The production of this metal is part of a new process 
for the manufacture of steel, invented and patented by Mr. 
Chas. Bain, of Brooklyn. A small quantity of Manganese is 
added to iron and after fusion has taken place the latter is 
converted into an excellent steel. 
The speaker also passed around a specimen of 
ARTIFICIAL ALIZARINE, 
In the shape of a yellowish-green paste manufactured by a - 
process somewhat differing from those published heretofore. 
He also exhibited crystals of Alizarine obtained from this mass 
by sublimation, mordanted cloth dyed in a bath of artificial 
Alizarine, soluttons of the substance in Alkalis and other 
proofs of the identity of the artificial product with that derived 
from the madder plant. In connection with these specimens 
he made the following remarks : 
Alizarine was first obtained from madder by Robiquet and 
Colin in 1826 by sublimation. Schenck gave it the formula 
C,,H,,0,, according to which it would be derived from 
Anthracene, while Wolff and Strecker proposed C,,H,O,, 
referring it to Naphthaline. Debus proposed the formula 
C,,H,,O0,, Rochleder C,,H,,0,,. Schiitzenberger doubled 
Strecker’s formula and writes C,,H,,O,. The dispute about 
the true formula of Alizarine gave rise to many investigations 
on the subject by a large number of chemists and was finally 
settled by Messrs. Greebe and Liebermann, who succeeded in 
obtaining Anthracene by heating Alizarine with powdered 
Zinc. They addressed themselves after this discovery to the 
